News

Two people shot dead in Calabria

ANSA: Two people died and three were hurt in two shootings near Vibo Valentia in Calabria on Friday. The shootings at Limbadi and Nicotera were the work of the same person,…

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Agreement on key issues for government formation in Italy

5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio said that a fresh meeting with League chief Matteo Salvini on the formation of a new government went well on Friday. "We are…

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Watching us lose the Eurovision is the perfect preparation for this summer’s world cup – The Telegraph Cartoon

This cartoon appeared on today's The Telegraph.

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Spain journalists wear black to protest against political interference

For the third Friday in a row, journalists working for Spain’s public broadcaster have worn black on screen to protest against alleged political interference, gender bias and unequal pay. A…

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Trump approaches geopolitics like The Apprentice – but this is not his show – Julian Borger (The Guardian’s World Affairs Editor)

The big lesson of Trump’s big week in geopolitics – in which he ditched the Iran nuclear deal while pivoting optimistically toward his summit with Kim Jong-un – is clear enough:…

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Britain’s policy on austerity, immigration and tackling terrorism are racist – UN Envoy

Britain's policies on austerity, immigration and tackling terrorism are racist, a United Nations watchdog has found. The Telegraph reports that UN Envoy and Law Professor Tendayi Achiume, a Special Rapporteur for…

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The risk of failure of Brexit negotiations exists – Michel Barnier

The risk of a failure of the Brexit negotiations "exists". In an interview with the German Magazine Der Spiegel, the head of EU negotiations, Michel Barnier, said that he was…

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Editor Perspectives 11th May 2018

The Times editorial entitled << When worlds collide>> refers to two separate gatherings which took place in Valletta earlier. We read “Around and on May Day, two mass events took…

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Malta Newspaper Review – 11th May 2018

The Malta Independent reports Ivan Bartolo, a former Nationalist Party candidate and businessman has left the party and quit politics. In the story carrying the headling, <<Ivan Bartolo resigns…

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Italy fines Whatsapp for allegedly obliging users to agree to sharing their personal data

Italy’s Competition and Markets Authority (AGCM) announced it was imposing a €3 million (USD3.6 million) fine on messaging service Whatsapp for allegedly obliging users to agree to sharing their personal…

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Mother’s Day – Celebrity motherhood

All children matter. All births are special. While some are born and live in 'anonymity', others, due to their parents, get more media attention. Baby shower in style for Eva…

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Growing SMEs for a Digital World – Malta’s Institute of Accountants SME Forum

Digital innovation opens a new future to SMEs but entrepreneurs need to be prepared for the transformation. The 2018 SME Forum, organised by the Malta Institute of Accountants, assesses the…

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Siamese twins, dismissed after progress following operation at Bambino Gesu Hospital

Rayenne and Djihene, Siamese twins joined at the chest and the abdomen, who in October were admitted to the Bambino Gesu Hospital, for their separation, were dismissed and can go home to Algeria . The very delicate…

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Israeli Airforce mission to destroy Iran’s presence in Syria dubbed as ‘Operation House of Cards’ – Update

Updated: The European Union called reports about Iranian strikes against Israeli army posts from inside Syria "extremely worrying" and said Israel had the right to defend itself. It also called…

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Valencia closes in on rooms with a view

Authorities in Valencia are proposing a law to restrain holiday rentals around the city. If the regional government votes in favour of the bill, the Spanish city will be empowered…

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Italy breaks two jihadist cells

Italian police moved in on two jihadist rings accused of raising funding for terrorist attacks. 14 people were arrested in an operation that involved searches in 20 properties in Sardinia…

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Sweden, Finland, US sign security agreement

The defence ministers of Sweden, Finland, and the US met in Washington to sign a trilateral letter of intent to reinforce their security cooperation. Peter Hultqvist of Sweden, Jussi Niinistö…

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Malta doesn’t make it to the Final of the Eurovision, but Mental Health gets the European spotlight

Three minutes 11 seconds of a powerful performance by Maltese singer Christabelle, wasn't enough to convince the voters to give their approval for the Maltese song in this year's edition…

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Monica Lewinsky dropped from event Bill Clinton was attending

Monica Lewinsky was disinvited from a charity event after Bill Clinton confirmed his attendance to it. Lewinsky invitation to this year’s Philanthropy Summit held Town & Country by was withdrawn…

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Italy: Race to reach government agreement by Sunday

Italy may be edging towards forming a new government after Luigi di Maio and Matteo Salvini indicate “significant steps forward” have been made. Fresh negotiations on Wednesday between Movimento Cinque…

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Malaysia : World oldest Prime Minister sworn in at 92

Mahathir Mohamad took his oath of office as Malaysia’s prime minister in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. The 92-year old won a surprising victory against the political coalition that has dominated…

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We are the hoi polloi – Dr. Andrew Azzopardi

In these last years trying to understand the Maltese society has become even more complex because distinctions are increasingly blurred. Nonetheless, it is evident that we are witnessing an exponential…

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Israel threatens storm on Iran after attack on the Golan Heights

Reuters report that Israel has attacked nearly all of Iran's military infrastructure in Syria after Iranian forces fired rockets at Israeli-held territory for the first time. Through this Israel and Iran…

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Editor Perspectives – 10th May 2018

In it’s editorial, The Times, writes that while in some countries, like parts of the US, have had solar rights and solar access legislation for 40 years, the government in…

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Malta Newspaper Review – May 10th 2018

The Malta Business Weekly carries a story entitled <<New Zealand accountants backdated Malta trust documents during Panama Papers>>. In this story we read New Zealand accountants were backdating documents during…

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Crying over spilled chocolate – Poland

Authorities in Poland were left with a sticky situation indeed after an accident saw a lorry spill 12 tons of warm, liquid chocolate onto the motorway, Polish radio station RMF…

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US – China trade off impacts import of Ford automobiles in China

Chinese customs officials are holding up shipments of imported Ford automobiles for technical checks. Trade experts believe the move is meant to put pressure on Washington after US President Donald…

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Theresa May portrait taken down by Oxford University

Oxford University took down a portrait of Theresa May after a row erupted by students in the geography department. The British Prime Minister read geography at ST Hugh College and…

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Netanyahu indicates Moscow won’t curtail Israeli strikes in Syria

Wrapping up a whirlwind visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday evening said he has no reason to believe the Kremlin will attempt to limit Israel’s freedom of…

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New political era in Malaysia

Malaysians awoke on Thursday to a new political era, as veteran opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad sealed victory in a historic general election that ends the ruling coalition’s six-decade grip on…

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Trump hints at forfeiting press credentials to ‘negative media’

A Donald Trump tweet seems to suggest that media houses reporting “negative” news about the presidency could have their press credentials forfeited. "Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we…

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The EU takes an active role to try to salvage the Nuclear Deal

The Guardian reports that "The European Union is scrambling to arrange a crisis meeting with Iran after Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear agreement, as the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said…

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Could Starbucks make it in the country of espresso?

Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz fuelled speculation that the brand is coming to the land of espresso, Italy. The multinational coffee-house chain grew from 11 stores in 1983 to a…

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Protests in Montenegro, following the shooting which wounded investigative journalist

Olivera Lakić, a journalist for the Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti, was wounded in the right leg outside her home in the capital, Podgorica. She was taken to a hospital and was…

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Editor Perspectives – 9th May 2018

The Maltese language, the national broadcaster, the voluntary sector, the Nationalist Party's future and Fibromyalgia are the themes of today's newspaper editors' perspectives. In-Nazzjon’s editor dedicates the editorial to the…

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Malta Newspapers Review – Wednesday 9th May

Today's newspapers carry the disturbing story about a man who repeatedly raped his infant nieces while baby sitting them. This story is given its importance and carried on three front…

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Turbulent times for Air France

Air France-KLM, one of the world’s biggest airline groups, is in deep trouble and facing significant turbulent times. Shares in Air France-KLM crashed as much as 14.5% on Monday after…

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Foreign groups banned from buying Facebook ads in Irish referendum on abortion

Facebook is banning foreign groups from buying advertisements related to Ireland's abortion referendum, the company announced Tuesday. The May 25 referendum will decide whether abortion should be legalised in Ireland.…

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USA: Facebook to require extra checks from people buying ads on politics

The Financial Times reports that Facebook will require extra checks from people buying advertisements on political issues ranging from abortion and guns, to education and foreign policy, as the social network tries…

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Reactions to Trump’s announcement on withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he is deeply concerned by the US decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal, and calls on all other parties to fully abide by…

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Post Brexit customs union is crazy – Boris Johnson

The idea of a post-Brexit "customs partnership" with the EU would be "madness". The British Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson, leader of the Eurosceptics of the government, rejects in these terms…

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Developing story – Israeli missiles intercepted in Syria (Updated)

Reuters reports that "Syrian state media accused Israel of launching missiles at a target near Damascus on Tuesday, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was quitting the Iranian nuclear…

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Driving ban for women lifted in Saudi Arabia

The General Department of Traffic in Saudi Arabia has announced that women will be allowed to drive in the country as from June 24. “All the requirements for women in…

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What’s going on in Armenia and why does it matter

Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan stepped down just six days after he was sworn in and backed his political rival to succeed him. Having served 10 years as Armenia’s President,…

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European fintech eyeing stock market listing

Europe’s biggest fintech IPO is looming after Swedish fintech start-up iZettle announced plans to join the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange later this year. The company is seeking to raise SEK2…

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Political impasse in Italy sends Government Bond yields rising

Following the unsuccessful final round of coalition talks, Italian president Mattarella declared that the process to form a government had failed. Mattarella’s preferred option remains to install a fixed-mandate technical…

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Trump announces America’s withdrawal from Iran Nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump says he will withdraw the US from an Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran. Calling it "decaying and rotten", he said the deal was "an embarrassment" to…

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Editor Perspectives – 8th May 2018

The Malta Independent editorial entitled <<Might be difficult to work>> focuses on the issue of waste collection. In the editorial, we read that “many previous ministers, of both persuasions, have…

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Malta Newspaper Review – 8th May 2018

The Times front page carries a story entitled <<BVI probed Schembri’s $725,000 offshore firm>>. In this story, we read that new documents show that “anti-money-laundering investigators in the British Virgin…

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Is it the end of wet wipes?

The BBC reports that ever so handy wet wipes, used for anything, from cleaning up sticky fingers and removing eye make-up as well as on other parts of the anatomy,…

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“No other explanation but God”: Boy regains consciousness after severe brain trauma

A 13-year-old boy in the US state of Alabama regained consciousness just after his parents signed the paperwork to donate his organs. Trenton McKinley suffered severe brain trauma when a…

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UN report claims that Afghan government helicopters killed and wounded at least 107 boys and men

A new UN report on the 2 April 2018 airstrikes in the Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz province, UNAMA presents its findings, including verification of 107 casualties (36 killed and…

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Sir Alex Ferguson remains in intensive care

The 76-year-old former Manchester United manager remains in intensive care at Salford Royal hospital after he underwent emergency surgery on Saturday. Neither the hospital nor the club were able to issue an…

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Suspect shooter of Pakistan’s Ahsan Iqbal linked to far-right

A suspect arrested for an assassination attempt on Pakistan's interior minister says he is a member of a far-right religious organisation that has previously accused members of the government of…

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Nigeria’s military rescue 1,000 people held captive by Boko Haram

Nigeria's military, through Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, the army spokesman, said that it has rescued more than 1,000 people held captive in northeastern Nigeria by the armed group Boko Haram.…

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Pro-independent Catalan politicians want to nominate Puigdemont as head of their regional government

Pro-independence Catalan politicians aim to nominate former leader Carles Puigdemont to head their regional government, in defiance of Spain and despite his self-imposed exile in Germany. They proposed nominating Puigdemont,…

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Hezbollah and its allies win Lebanon’s elections

Hezbollah and its political allies are the biggest winners in Lebanon's first general election in nine years, an analysis of the preliminary results show. Hezbollah and Amal - dubbed the…

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